Please take a look at this slide:
On the left is us, the voters: 126+ million of us voted for Obama or Romney in the 2012 Presidential election. On the right is a much smaller group representing the media, campaign professionals, lobbyists, interest groups, think tanks and pundits. Please note that in the center of it all are career politicians.
Every two years we elect all 435 members of the House of Representatives and approximately 1/3 of all Senators. Every four years we elect a President.
Each Congress meets for two years and consists of a first and second session. Currently, the 113th Congress is in session. So, what happens during those two years? POLITICS!
Who benefits the most from politics, and subsequently from maintaining the political status quo? Not surprisingly, the group on the right. The divisive language foisted on us by the Democrats and Republicans is parroted by their biased media allies for ratings and revenue. The media and campaign professionals benefit from costly campaigns via advertising revenues and large salaries. Lobbyists are paid fees to pedal influence on behalf of interest groups. In addition to hiring lobbyists, interest groups also contribute to candidates' campaigns to secure legislation favors. Pundits, a subset of the media, profits from their following. Think tanks attempt to influence policy through their biased positions on issues. And again, at the center of it all are the career politicians who obtain positions of power as they advance their careers. The group on the right operates in a perpetual cycle of: attempting to influence policy on behalf of narrow interests, making policy based on that influence, and reporting on the process.
Money drives the cycle and is the incentive to perpetuate the cycle. Maintaining the political status quo ensures the cycle continues to enrich and empower the players in the group on the right.
What is the result? More POLITICS!
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